What it means
شارژ کردن (shârzh kardan) means to charge an electronic device such as a phone or laptop. The first element, شارژ (shârzh), is borrowed from French “charge” and entered Persian through the early twentieth century. The second element, کردن (kardan), is a native Persian verb meaning to do, used as a light verb to turn nouns and loanwords into verbs. Together they form a standard compound verb, a very common pattern in Persian for absorbing foreign technical vocabulary. In informal speech, شارژ کردن also means to top up prepaid mobile credit, which is a distinct but related use.
How to use it
- گوشیم رو شارژ کن. (gushiam ro shârzh kon.) “Charge my phone.”
- باتری شارژ نمیشه. (bâttari shârzh nemishe.) “The battery won’t charge.”
- کجا میتونم گوشیم رو شارژ کنم؟ (kojâ mitoonam gushiam ro shârzh konam?) “Where can I charge my phone?”
- شارژم تموم شده. (shârjham tamoom shode.) “My credit has run out.” (prepaid mobile top-up)
Cultural note
شارژ کردن carries two meanings in everyday Iranian Persian. The first is the technical one: charging a device. The second is topping up prepaid mobile credit, which is called شارژ خریدن (shârzh kharidan) or simply شارژ. Mobile credit top-up is sold at almost every corner shop in Iran, so شارژم تموم شده is a phrase heard constantly. This dual meaning reflects how thoroughly the word شارژ has been absorbed into daily life well beyond its original technical sense.